Thousands of people in Israel protested on Sunday night after six Israeli hostages held in Gaza were found dead. Israel’s largest labour union, Histadrut, also called for a strike to begin Monday.
The protests, the biggest since the Gaza conflict started nearly 11 months ago, saw demonstrators clashing with security forces.
Protesters in Tel Aviv and outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in West Jerusalem demanded a ceasefire with Hamas to secure the release of the remaining captives. The protesters were seen chanting “Now! Now!”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, representing families of those held in Gaza, accused Netanyahu of failing to secure a deal, leading to the captives’ deaths after nearly 11 months in captivity.
In response, Israel’s largest labour union, Histadrut, called for a general strike to pressure the government into reaching a ceasefire.
The strike is set to begin Monday, with Ben Gurion Airport among the key locations to shut down.
Histadrut leader, Arnon Bar-David, said “a deal is more important than anything else.
“We are getting body bags instead of a deal,” Bar-David said, adding that the was planned strike was backed by Israel’s main manufacturers and entrepreneurs in the high-tech sector.
The recent protests will put pressure on Netanyanu who has been blamed for stalling the truce negotiations. Hamas had supported a U.S.-backed ceasefire deal but Israel rejected it.
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